Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian Minister of Defence, is believed to be the highest-ranking former politician to come out as a believer of the popular conspiracy theory.

As one of the world's biggest conspiracy theories, the Illuminati is said to be a secretive global elite which runs governments from behind the scenes and is planning to introduce a New World Order (NWO).

Its key members are said to be drawn from Hollywood and world political and business leaders, with some even accusing its true leaders of being reptilian lizards from space.

Accusations vary in extremities from the simple implementation of the NWO as a goal at the least, to the Illuminati being a highly Satanic cult seeking to return the devil to earth.

Other than repeated claims by conspiracy theorists, which have ballooned in number since the growth of the internet, there is no actual proof the Illuminati exists at all.

However, in a podcast, Mr Hellyer, who was in post in the 1960s, said the Illuminati, at least at its most basic concept, was real and all powerful.

He said corrupt hidden leaders continue to wage needless wars and focus on profits, rather than stopping climate change.